Federal Government Internships

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Internship Program

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders offers full-time internships year round (spring, summer, and fall). Part-time applicants who can commit to at least 20 hours a week will be considered, although the Initiative prioritizes full-time applicants (32-40 hours a week). The following internship sites are available:

Washington, DC at the Initiative headquarters
Remote (for communications/multimedia intern)

The Initiative is responsible for the implementation of the President's Executive Order 13515, dated October 14, 2009. Its purpose is to develop, monitor, and coordinate executive branch efforts to improve the quality of life of AAPIs through increased participation in federal programs. The Initiative is housed at the Department of Education but its scope is government-wide.

Interns at the Initiative are responsible for assisting the staff on a wide range of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues and priorities, including capacity-building, civil rights, data disaggregation, economic development, education, health, immigration, language access, and workforce diversity. In addition, interns will help write policy memos and proposals, draft blogs, assist with communications and social media, coordinate and staff events, and conduct outreach to national and local AAPI organizations and leaders.

Applicants for intern positions must be undergraduates or graduate students who are enrolled at least half-time. Ideally, the candidate will already be familiar with AAPI issues and have outstanding research, writing, communications, and computer skills.

How to Apply:*

If you are interested in applying, please send the following to whitehouseaapi@ed.gov:

Dates that you are available for the internship
Location preference of your internship (Washington, D.C. or remote – communications/multimedia intern)
Resume
A written statement that describes (1) an issue that affects the AAPI community on a national level, (2) a strategy that you would implement at the Initiative to address that issue, and (3) the organizations and/or federal agencies with whom you would collaborate and why. The statement should be no more than one page, single-spaced.

(*If not accepted to this program, your application may be passed onto other federal agencies for consideration.)

Deadlines:

July 29 for Fall 2016 session (Aug-Dec)
For more information on Spring and Summer deadlines, visit http://sites.ed.gov/aapi.

(*Spring session applications by students on a quarter system will be considered on a rolling basis.)

All applicants must be:

At least 18 years of age
Enrolled in a degree-seeking program at an accredited academic institution
Authorized to work in the United States

Note: If applicants are not U.S. citizens, but reside in the U.S., the applicant may still be eligible for an internship if the requirements are met. For more information on eligibility requirements for non-US citizens, please visit http://sites.ed.gov/aapi/stay-connected/internship/.

All internship positions at the Initiative are unpaid. The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

White House Internship Program

The White House Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and build leadership skills. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office and prepare them for future public service opportunities. The White House Internship Program’s mission is to make the “People’s House” accessible to future leaders from around the nation.

For opportunities in the Office of Personnel Management, visit here.